69 



shutting his lips, the air being compressed 

 would make its way for that part where it met 

 the least resistance, and before the fauces could 

 be sufficiently contracted to produce the act of 

 swallowing, the air would be forced out at the 

 nose or into the trachea. It is to be observed 

 also, that the horse keeps his mouth open 

 during the action of crib-biting, which he 

 Avould not do if he performed the action of 

 swallowing. On all these accounts, it may 

 ])e fairly concluded that the animal does not 

 suck air into the stomach during the action 

 of crib-biting. It is most probable that the 

 flatulence, to which" horses of this description 

 are so peculiarly subject, arises from imperfect 

 digestion, a defect which must be considerably 

 increased by the great loss of the saliva which 

 runs out of the mouth by the parotid glands 

 being compressed during the convulsive move- 

 ment of the muscles of the larynx or origin of 

 the windpipe. Be the cause however what it 

 may, the inconvenience it occasions is so great, 

 that no horse can be deemed sound and perfect 

 that labours under that imperfection. Various 

 methods have been adopted to prevent it, such 

 as by buckling a strap round the upper part of 

 the neck, covering the edge of the manger with 

 an undressed sheepskin, or rubbing it with tar 

 or any other offensive liquid. 



